Tension in Aba as DPO whisked away as soldiers, police clash in Abia

Residents of Umuahia, the Abia State capital on Monday scampered for safety as soldiers and policemen were engaged in a free-for-all fight at the Railway Police Station.
Trouble started when a man drove in and parked his 14-seater bus near the police station located opposite the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre, Aba Road.
Report says the bus driver, who is an Army Captain but in mufti, was ordered by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the station to re-park his vehicle.
According to an eye witness account, the DPO, who was driving to the station in his Highlander SUV when he spotted the bus, was impatient with the owner of the bus as he ordered him to explain why he should block his way.
Attempts by the Army Captain to calm the DPO fell on deaf ears as he (DPO) immediately ordered for his arrest for allegedly blocking his way.
The over-zealous DPO, according to investigations, just assumed duties at the station a few days back.
According to our source, the Army officer pleaded with the DPO to allow him remove his vehicle as he had ordered but the DPO rather insisted that he must be arrest¬ed first.
“It was at that point when two policemen were struggling to arrest him that he told them that he is a Captain in the Army”, the source said.
Continuing, the source said the DPO was more infuriated when he heard that the ‘man’ said he was a soldier, and insisted he must be arrested.
The DPO was quoted as saying: “He must obey my arrest order; you people should tell him to obey my arrest order; you must obey my arrest. You said you are a captain; you must tell me how many wars you have fought.
“I have fought in three Boko Haram states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States before coming here.
“You must show me your iden¬tity today; drag him into the cell now”, the DPO thundered.
As the drama continued, attempts by the police to force the Army Captain into their cell was stoutly resisted but the police tore his clothes as they were trying to drag him into their cell.
The scenario attracted the attention of passers-by and people in the neighbourhood who helped in pleading with the police to release the Army officer but all to no avail.
One of the policemen was said to have started shooting into the air apparently to disperse the crowd when somebody in the crowd was said to have alerted the military of the development.
The scene was said to have been stormed by four Hilux vans filled with solders shortly afterwards.
The soldiers were said to have been highly infuriated when they discovered that the man being manhandled by the police was truly an Army officer.
They were said to have descended on the policemen including the DPO and gave them the beating of their life.